Seals are used in an aircraft engine to isolate a fluid from one or more areas/regions of the engine. For example, seals are used to control various characteristics (e.g., temperature, pressure) within areas/regions of the engine and ensure proper/efficient engine operation and stability. Brush seals are a type of seal that provides fluid isolation in the manner described above. A brush seal may be implemented as a bundle/package of bristles sandwiched between two plates.
The bristles may need to be protected. For example, if the bristles are exposed to an excitation (e.g., windage) a bristle may have a tendency to become loose or even break-away from the bristle pack, in which case the bristle may impact (e.g., clog) a downstream component.
Two types of covers are frequently used to protect the bristles of the brush seal. A first type of cover is a plate cover. Plate covers are bulky, add weight, and present difficulties in terms of the manufacturability of the brush seal. A second type of cover is a sheet metal cover. The sheet metal cover is thin and susceptible to degradation due to handling.